Lock for the gates of elevator-shafts.



W. A. WILLIAMS. LOCK FOR THE GATES 0F ELEVATOIKSHAFTSJ APPLICATION FILED APR. I9, I9I5.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I Z 3 0 8 I a O o 04 o 1 o 1 o 1 4 1 0 04 O o 1 0 V4 0 V 1 0 /A o vofl o o /o/ o I I L 1 0 o /0m 0 I LO /4 I L 0 I L mm OI w o JIM O o o .H I V o i o III- 19-! I J wfi w m 7 L I aw CI H JH z 7 2 v P 2 WITNE8$E$ INVENTOFI a g, ATT HEY THE-COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, n. c

w. A. WlLLlAMS.

LOOK FOR THE GATES OF ELEVATOR SHAFTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.I9.I915.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wwusssss ATTORNEY.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 0 WASHINGTON D. C.

WILLIAM A. WILLIAMS or nan'romonro.

LooK iron rHE'eATEs or ELEVATOR-SHEETS;

, Application filed April 19, 1915. Serial No. 22,228.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM A. WILLIAMs, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Barton, county of Belmont, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks for the Gates of Elevator-Shafts, of which the followingis a specification. v y

This invention relates broadly to gates for elevator shafts, and specifically to a gate and automatically controlled locking means therefor. i

r The primary object of the invention is to providea-gate for elevator shafts having mechanism whereby it is normally maintained locked, and associated with means whereby, when the elevator occupies a predeterminedlevel, said'locking mechanism is automatically rendered inoperative, permitting the gateto be opened,

vA- further object is-"to provide locking means designed-,particularly for use on the gatesemployed at the mouths ofmine' shafts, whereby the openingofsuchga-te is effectually prevented vuntil the elevator or cage as- I sumes a predetermined position in relation to said :gate.

A further object is toprovide', in connection with the gate-locking mechanism mentioned, means whereby the condition. of

' i i said gate is indicated at-a distantpoint+ that is to say, an indicator located at a point, as in the engine room, has connectlon with thegate-locking mechanism and 1s designed to visuallyindicate whether the-gate isinopen or closedposition, or, rather, in lockedor unlocked condition.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the features of construction, arrangement of parts and combinations of elements which will hereinafter be fully described,.reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification, in which- 1 Figure 1 is a front elevation of a gate equipped with my improved 'lockingmechanism,the electric control and indicator circuits being illustrated diagrammatically; Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the locking mechanism with the casing removed; Fig, 3is a section on the'line 33, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail view of the circuit closer.

Referring to said drawings, in which like designating characters distinguish like; parts throughout the several views1 indicates Specification of Iiette'rs' Patent.

mammal 1, I916.

generally an elevator or cage and 2 the cage guides, said parts being of an ordinary or any suitable type. Hinged upon a post 3 at the mouth of the shaft in which the cage operates is a gate 4 havingone end of a latch-bar 5 pivotally mounted thereon, said bar being extended through a suitable keeper. 6 in which it is vertically movable. Mounted on the outer face, of the opposite gatepost? is a base plate 8 which' adjacent to its upper end has an angular formation whereby is provided between an upright portion 8 and said post? a substantially rectangular pocket 9 designed for the/reception of saidbar-5, the latter being adapted to be moved vertically} into and out ofsaid pocket to respectively latch and unlatch said gate. Fixed upon said base-plate 8 is an.

outwardly extending bracket or support 10 upon the outer end of which a substantially upright bar 11 is vpivotally mounted, the piyotalipoint 12 being intermediate the ends ofsaidbar. FiXedupon' the upper end-of said-bar isthe outer end of a;hori zontally disposed latch or locking-bar lt-the inner end ofwhich projects into interlocking' engagement withrla-tch-bar 5 when t-he latter occupies a position in pocket 9, said locking bar 14 being operable through a suitable openinglffi provided therefor inthe upright portion 8 of the base-plate and having its said inner end received in-an ,opening 15 provided thereforin said latch-bar A suitableretractile coil spring 1 6 connected at oneend tothe pivoted bar 11 above its pivotal mountingandat its opposite-end to a suitable fixed point, as a post 17 fixed to the supporting bracket 10, serves to ,normally maintain said bar in a position where'- in the locking-bar l4: occupies locking position. 1

Mounted upon the base-plate8 adjacent'to its lower end is an electromagnet 18 which, when energized, attracts an armature 19 carriedby thelower end of the pivoted bar v11, causing the latter to swing on its pivot 12 and to withdraw the lockingbar 14 from interlocking relation with the pivoted latchbar 5, whereupon the latter may be. elevated to; open the; gate. Said electromagnet 18 is includedin a normally openelectric circuit one side of whichgleads to said magnet from a suitablesource of electricalienergy, as a battery 20,,through a conductor 21. The opposite pole of said batteryis connected by a conductor 22 to a contact piece-23 forming a part of a circuit closer which is generally designated by the numeral 24:. Said circuit closer comprises a small plate or panel 25 of a non-conductive material, as fiber, mounted in a stationary position on one side of one of the cage-guides 2 at a suitable point. Fixed upon said plate 25 at separated points is said contact 23 and a similar contact 26, the latter being connected to the magnet 18 by a conductor 27. Extending through said plate 25 are the ends of one or more horizontally disposed pins 28 the op posite ends of which carry thereon a metallic bridge-piece 29. Carried by each of said pins is an encircling spiral spring 30, said springs being designed to normally maintain said bridge-piece thrust outward to a position out of engagement with said contacts 23 and 26. Said bridge, which has its ends beveled for the purpose, is designed to be engaged by the curved face of a bumper 31 which is mounted at a suitable point on the cage 1, when said cage closely approaches its loading and unloading position at the mouth of the shaft. lVhen so engaged, said bridge is forced outward against the tension of the springs into engagement with contacts 23 and 26, bridging the intervening open space and closing the electric circuit. Thus, during the time that the cage occupies its proper position at the mouth of the shaft, said electric circuit remains closed, permitting the latch-bar 5 to be elevated for opening the gate. When, however, the cage has moved slightly from said proper position, the bumper is withdrawn from engagement with the bridge and the circuit is opened, preventing opening of the gate. A suitable switch, as 32, may be providedin the circuit whereby the circuit may be broken for rendering inoperative the automatic latch-bar releasing mechanism described.

A suitable casing 33 is fitted over the locking mechanism, as shown in Fig. 3. A key-hole 34: is provided at a suitable point in said casing, the same being clesigned to permit of the introduction of a key whereby the lower end of the pivoted bar 11 may be swung inward for unlocking the gate. Such key will of course be carried by an attendant or one in authority in order that the gate may be opened at the lower mine levels.

For visually indicating to the engineer or other person whose duty it is to raise or lower the cage, whether the gate occupies open or closed position, a second electric circuit is provided, said circuit including an indicator, as the dial indicator 35 of a common type, located at an appropriate point, as in the engine room. Said circuit comprises a battery 36 or other source of electrical energy, a conductor 37 leading from said battery, an upright copper contact post 38 stationarily disposed in a fiber sheath 39 mounted on the base-plate 8 at a suitable point, a copper post 40 mounted in a fiber sheath 41 carried on one end of a lever 42 which is mounted intermediate its ends upon a pivot pin 43 supported by a bracket 14 mounted on said base-plate. The opposite end of said lever 42 normally projects upward into the pocket 9, a retractile coil spring 45 being arranged to normally hold said lever in a position wherein contact post l0 engages contact post 38. Said conductor 37 connects to said contact 38, and a conductor 4E6 leads from said contact 40 to the indicator 35 which is connected by a conductor 4:7 to the battery 36. \Vhen the latch-bar 5 is dissociated from the locking mechanism, the lever 42 occupies the position shown in Fig. 2, wherein the inner end thereof is projected upward into pocket 9 and the opposite end is lowered holding contact 40 in engagement with contact 38, closing the indicator circuit which actuates the pointer of dial 35 to stand at the open position. Vhen the gate is closed and the latch-bar is dropped into pocket 9, the weight of the outer end of the latter depresses the inner end of the lever 42 and raises the opposite end of said lever against the tension of its spring 45, elevating contact 40 out of engagement with contact 38 and breaking the electric circuit to the indicator 35, the pointer of which normally stands at shut position indicating that the gate is closed.

It will be noted that various changes or alterations may be made in the form and arrangement of some of the parts composing my apparatus without departing from the general spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

\Vhat is claimed is- 1. The combination with an elevator and a gate guarding the entrance to an elevator shaft, of a latch-bar carried by said gate, a stationary member having a pocket for receiving said latch-bar when the gate is closed, means for indicating the position of said latch-bar, the last-mentioned means comprising a normally closed electric circuit, a signal and a pair of contacts located in said circuit, a pivoted lever supporting one of said contacts, and means normally maintaining said lever in a position wherein said contacts engage, said lever having a part directed into said pocket and adapted to be depressed by the seated latch-bar for swinging said lever to a point separating said contacts.

2. The combination with an elevator and a gate guarding the entrance to an elevator shaft, of a latch-bar carried by said gate, a stationary member having a pocket for receiving said latch-bar when the gate is closed, means for locking said latch-bar in said pocket, a normally closed electric cirwit, a dial indicator in said circuit, a pair bar into said pocket for swinging said lever of contacts in said circuit, a pivoted lever v to a point separating said contacts. 10 supporting one of said contacts, means nor- In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature mally maintaining-said pivoted lever in a in presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

' position wherein said contacts lie in en- WILLIAM A. WVILLIAMS.

gagenient, said lever having a projection Witnesses: r extended into said pocket and adapted to THOMAS WELSBY, be depressed lay-introduction of said 1atch- CHAS. FISHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

